The present invention relates generally to document processing or handling systems having a document feeding and sorting function, wherein stacks of documents are scanned and sorted as to destination, and more particularly to a dual auger stacking device and corresponding control apparatus for such a system which facilitates the rapid stacking of documents diverted from a main document path.
Document processing or handling systems are known which include a feeder station into which stacks of documents are conveyed for singulation and are sequentially passed in a document path downstream for reading by an optical character reader or bar code reader. The reader determines into which of a plurality of document receiving stations each document will be diverted. As the document advances down the document path, an automatic diverter gate will be triggered by the reader to pivot and thus divert the document into the appropriate receiving or stacking station.
It has been found in the operation of such systems, when large volumes of documents are being rapidly handled and sorted, that stacks of documents often build up at a single document receiving station, and may become so tightly packed that the stacking of subsequent documents is impeded or prevented. Such tightly packed stacks of sorted documents have been known to become damaged to the point that further sorting and handling is difficult, if not impossible.
Thus, there is a need for a device for minimizing the document congestion at document receiving stations, and for expediting the movement of a diverted document away from the document path and towards the document receiving station.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a stacking device for a document handling and sorting system which prevents congestion at document receiving stations.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a document stacking device which receives diverted documents, which rapidly moves at least a portion of each document away from a diverter path, which loosens the stack of documents, and which moves the loosened documents toward the receiving station.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a document stacking device which minimizes the congestion of diverted documents, and which operates only when documents are present in order to avoid damage to the lower edges of the documents.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a document stacking device including a control system which operates the device as a function of the sensing of a document in the document path which will be diverted to a particular document receiving station.